Characteristics And Predictors Of Women Who Obtain Rescreening For Sexually Transmitted Infections Using The Www.Iwantthekit.Org Screening Programme

Professional organizations recommend rescreening chlamydia-infected women. The iwantthekit Internet-screening programme offered rescreening opportunities by using iwantthekit. Mailed, home-collected vaginal swabs were tested for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and trichomoniasis by nucleic acid amplification tests. Demographics and risk behaviours of repeat users were determined from questionnaires. Predictors of repeat users were measured in a matched case-control study. Of 1747 women, 304 (17%), who used iwantthekit, indicated they had used the kit previously. Mean age was 24.7 +/- 5.7 years and 69% were African-American. Repeat iwantthekit users were more likely to be aged >= 20 years (OR = 2.10); were more likely to have been treated for a sexually transmitted infection (OR = 2.32); less likely to drink alcohol before sex (OR = 0.63); and to never use condoms (OR = 0.43). Of repeat users, 84.2% had a negative prior test and 15.8% had a positive. At current test, 13.2% were infected. Previous trichomoniasis was associated with current trichomoniasis (p<0.05). The iwantthekit may offer rescreening opportunities for previously infected women.